Monday, December 3, 2018

By now you’ve learned the basics of
composting and maybe some readers even have a couple of worm bins. But, have you
dared trying your hand at the wizardry of
Bokashi?

It really is a quite simple premise and
technique:

Take all of your food scraps - No need to
worry about sorting and separating foods, but you might want to avoid
concentrations of highly fatty and salty foods.

Layer them in an airtight container (a 5
gallon bucket works great) and inoculate with mixture of beneficial microbes
for two or more weeks (anaerobic activity goes counter to what we’ve learned so
far about compost.. but stick with me here - the food scraps will ferment
, not go rancid).

After two weeks, bury the contents of the
bucket in compost pile, bury in a hole or trench in the ground, or in flower
pots/containers.

After two more weeks in the earth with
Mother Nature’s help, you will have ready to use compost - Magic? No. But it
will feel that way.

You may be asking at this point, “why would I do all those extra steps? ” or “what the heck are beneficial microbes?”

Bokashi Bran full of beneficial microorganisms.

First, let’s discuss where Bokashi comes
from:

Origin Story:

Bokashi comes from a Japanese method of
fermenting organic wastes using beneficial microbes known as Effective Microorganisms (EM). Back
in the 1960s an agricultural scientist, Dr Teruo Higa began experimenting with
naturally occurring microbes in conjunction with natural farming methods to
help relieve farmers of the stress of relying on expensive and harsh chemical
treatments for their crops. By the 1980s, he had formulated what is considered
an ideal combination of microorganisms to improve soil health - yeast,
photosynthetic bacteria, and lactic acid bacteria. He named it EM1 and it is
widely used as a soil conditioner. Today, more applications have been
discovered, including the bokashi method of fermentation.

Now, for your answers:

It’s a very low maintenance process. No
turning piles, no carbon to nitrogen ratios to worry
about, no moisture monitoring, and by fermenting (aka pickling) the food
scraps, you speed up the breakdown process of the food - delivering a
nutrient-rich compost to your garden faster (approximately 4 weeks from table
to garden)

By increasing the variety of foods you
can safely compost, you have little to no food waste for the trash.

You can actually do this indoors - it’s
great for apartment living or homes with little access to large gardens or
compost piles. You just need space for a 5 gallon bucket.

With an airtight lid in place there is no
odor present, and when the lid is removed to add more food scraps, it will
smell fermented - not rancid.

The beneficial microbes are combination
of microorganisms that work symbiotically to ferment the food waste. These may
be cultivated in your kitchen with an easy to follow recipe, or purchased
online.

All you need to start a Bokashi system of your own.

I have found that using Bokashi in my
composting toolbox has been an effective way to eliminate all food waste from
my household and deliver amazing soil all year long. There are a few simple
rules to follow, but beyond that - the limits to how creatively you wear your
own wizard’s hat is up to you.

Be on the lookout for Bokashi 102: Recipes and methods for the DIY
wizards

Wednesday, October 31, 2018

Of all the Halloween ghouls, I think theSwamp Monster (or Muck Monster or Swamp Thing, if you prefer) likely knows the most
about decomposition. He does, after all, live among murky, slowly decaying gunk
in a mist-covered swamp.

Since we do not want our compost bin to smell like a swamp,
however, we will pay homage to the Swamp Monster by taking lessons to avoid his
decomposing mistakes:

Aerate: without air your pile will go anaerobic,
inviting bacteria more suited to a swamp. These bacteria create methane as they
slowly decompose your food scraps. Not only will your pile take forever to
break down but it will also smell bad.

Add Browns: adding all “green” material like
food scraps or freshly cut grass provides too much nitrogen and not enough
carbon for our decomposing microorganisms. They need both, ideally in a balance
of one part green to three parts brown, to break down your compost efficiently
and without odors.

Limit Water: the Swamp Monster may
need murky, slimy,water to creep around in stalking humans strolling through the
swamp,but your compost bin does not need so much water. It should be as wet as a
wrung out sponge.

Should your backyard have a mini-swamp of its own with any
standing water, never choose that location for your compost bin. You will
create slimy, stinky compost and may even attract a scaly, part-amphibian,
part-human creature who will unexpectedly pull you into the depths of your
compost bin when you take out your scraps. Probably not, but you never know…

Monday, September 24, 2018

Around this time of year many of us face a similar issue: we
still create the same amount of food scraps but our leaf piles have dwindled
(or composted) to almost nothing. In order to keep that happy balance between green and browns, WE NEED LEAVES.

Worms Eat My Garbage; How to Set Up and
Maintain a Worm Composting System by Mary Appelhof (2017)

You have seen it on the blog many times, but still haven’t
started a worm bin yet? Well, everything you need to know about vermicomposting
is found in this book. Learn all about your new friends (the Red Wigglers), how
to maintain and troubleshoot with your worm bin, and how vermicomposting has
the potential to transform communities to be zero waste in their own homes. Are
you an educator? Check out Appelhof’s classroom
activities book about integrating vermicomposting in your classroom.

Let
it Rot! The Gardener’s Guide to Composting by Stu Campbell (1998)

Unlike some composting books, Campbell’s guide goes beyond
the “how to’s” and teaches its readers more about the science behind
composting. Don’t fret, this isn’t a college textbook, but a useful and relatable
guide for anyone who is interested in
composting. I found it most interesting when Campbell describes some of the
things that you can compost which I never thought of before, including leather
dust and seaweed. Check this book out from your local library to find out more.

Each of us compost stewards need our go-to composting book,
this one could be yours! With a focus on various methods of composting, this
will give you a lot of ideas of how you can create and use compost. The
colorful graphics and photography caught by eye when choosing a book to read.
Also, the book provides a gardening guide in the back, sharing how to use
compost when growing various vegetables, fruit, and flowers.

Did we miss your favorite composting book? Leave the title
and author’s name in the comments.

My advice to any school wanting to
compost onsite is to think of it as a teaching tool and not a waste reduction
activity. Start small by just collecting fruit and vegetable scraps from one
grade; or garden trimmings, leaves and coffee grounds. You can always increase collection if
everything is going fantastic. Check with your local government on zoning
restrictions, keep it away from streams and storm drains, and make sure it does
not exceed 300 square feet.

Compost Kids Field Trip at the Civic Garden Center

2. Vermicomposting
(with worms!)

Vermicomposting
uses special worms in a container to compost fruit and vegetable scraps. Some of the advantages are that you can
actively compost year round, vermicompost is superior to just about any other
compost, you can use the vermicomposting system for all kinds of experiments,
and you have enough class pets for each student to name one (good luck telling
them apart). Some challenges are that you need to buy worms to get started, you
need to separate the finished compost from the worms when you harvest, the
finished compost should be used inside, and if not managed properly you could
get fruit flies.

Learning about worms is fun

3. Offsite
Composting

Having organics hauled away to a
commercial composting facility diverts the most material from the landfill
because you are not limited by space and you can usually include animal
products (meat and dairy). Before you get too excited, I feel obligated to tell
you that there are limited commercial composting facilities in Southwest Ohio
right now, so it will likely cost you more to have the material hauled away for
composting than landfilling it.

Before you get started, check out our Composting at School web page.
Email or call (513-946-7737)
Cher Mohring for important information about local regulations and assistance
starting composting at your school.

Thursday, July 12, 2018

As a
fellow compost enthusiast, it’s an honor to be a guest blogger for Michelle. My
love for composting began when I lived at the Ohio University Ecohouse during
grad school. However, I had been composting for years before that without even
realizing it! Growing up on a farm, we would throw our food scraps in a pile
over the hill. I noticed that the pile would break down, but it wasn’t until
grad school that I learned those food scraps were being transformed into “black
gold.”

At the Ecohouse, we had a simple 3-bin compost system made out of
pallets and a worm factory for vermicomposting. The process of composting
fascinated me so much that I dedicated my graduate thesis to the topic. Thanks
to funding from Georgetown University and the USDA Forest Service, I was able
to conduct research in Edinburgh, Scotland, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore,
Maryland focused on the viability of composting in urban areas.

Fast
forward to today. As the Green Learning Station Coordinator at the Civic Garden
Center, it is a dream come true to share my passion for composting with the
community by teaching basic backyard composting classes, leading field trips,
and now managing the Master Composter Certification Program. Little did I know
when I was first introduced to composting that there’s so much to learn that
you can fill entire books on the topic! If you have basic
composting knowledge and a desire to dive deeper into the topic, the Master
Composter Series is for you.

Students in the 2017 Master Composter class learn to screen compost in Walnut Hills.

The
Master Composter Series is a unique opportunity offered once a year at the
Civic Garden Center to gain a more in-depth understanding of the composting
process. Through a combination of lectures, demonstrations, and field trips,
attendees are trained to become composting ambassadors in their communities. A
sneak peek at some of the topics covered include:

In-vessel composting

Vermicomposting

Bokashi

Chemistry of compost

Biochar

Much more!

This
series includes 20 hours of intensive composting instruction during Wednesdays
in August (1, 8, 15, 22) from 9 am – 3:30 pm. Wednesday morning lectures will
be complemented by afternoon field study sessions that will introduce
participants to different types of composting operations in the Cincinnati
area. The final piece to obtaining certification as a Master Composter is the
completion of 30 volunteer hours in which participants pass on their knowledge
and contribute to local composting projects.

A small
fee of $40 includes 10 hours of classroom instruction, 10 hours of field study
experience, and the opportunity to earn certification with perfect attendance
and successful completion of 30 documented volunteer hours. Please note that
this is an advanced course, some basic composting knowledge is
expected.

Ready
to sign up? Follow these two easy steps: 1) Register for the course on our website. 2) Complete a simple application and
pre-test which will be emailed to you once you register online.

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Sometimes we need to step back from our day-to-day drudgery
to really appreciate the impact of our actions. A new infographic from the
Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) helps us see the big picture of the importance
of composting.

Go ahead, pat yourself on the back and learn how composting your
banana peels and dried leaves:

Enhances soil

Protect watersheds

Sequesters carbon

Creates jobs

And much more! Wow, you really are a super hero.

The above infographic comes from the Institute for Local Self-Reliance (www.ilsr.org), a national nonprofit organization working to strengthen local economies, and redirect waste into local recycling, composting, and reuse industries. It is reprinted here with permission. Should you wish to include this infographic on your website, please visithttps://ilsr.org/compost-impacts/to download the original content.

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

If you're already composting, you know the immense amount of
food that can go to waste. Thanks to ever-evolving technology, you can now make
an even bigger impact on wasted food, often from the comfort of your own home.

Take a look at these three apps that are changing the game
when it comes to reducing wasted food, rescuing food, and feeding people.

USDA FoodKeeper - This app offers multiple tools to reduce
the food you waste in your home. Considering the fact that the average American
family wastes approximately $1500 a year in uneaten food, you'll be saving
money and resources. With food storage guides, cooking tips, and more, you'll
be a pro in no time.

Olio - Picking up steam in the US, this app connects
community members who have surplus food. Did you grow too many tomatoes? Post
them on Olio and rejoice as your neighbors claim them for their summer dishes.

Food Rescue US - This app connects food donors with
volunteers who transfer surplus food to community kitchens and food pantries.
If you volunteer to transfer food, you are directly participating in feeding
hungry neighbors!

While there are many similar apps on the market currently,
these three are available and ready-to-use in Cincinnati and the surrounding
areas. So, what are you waiting for? Download them today and expand your food
rescue horizons.

You know your garden soil is healthy when it is alive with
worms, but did you know the micro-nutrients produced through their castings are
the true stars of compost? The earthworms in our yard tunnel through the soil
providing vital air while increasing the micronutrients available to our plants.

If you can’t get enough good compost, perhaps are landlocked
in an apartment or condo, you may want to try vermicomposting. Vermicomposting
is done inside with special worms called "red wigglers." These worms are
different than our earthworms and cannot survive in the heat of our summer or our
frigid winters. Their home is a bin you
can make. The worm casting they provide are dense with microorganisms that
in-turn provide an abundance of micro-nutrients our plants need to grow strong
and fight diseases.

If you’d like more information about these special
composters, please join us at the Civic Garden Center the evening of Tuesday,
June 19. We are partnering with the Civic Garden Center to hold a special worm
bin workshop where you can learn how to vermicompost and can even build your
own worm bin if you choose. Learn more when you click here.

Wednesday, May 16, 2018

As parents, grandparents, teachers, and neighbors, we hope the
children in our lives carry on some of the habits we teach them growing up. Composting
is no exception. In today’s blog I suggest three books to share with your young
ones to inspire passion about, and get them helping with, composting! All three
of these books are available at the Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County.

The Little Composterby Jan Gerardi (2010) is a great resource to engage
your toddler. With flipbook pages that allow for even the youngest child to
partake in the book, this book reviews a few of the items we can put in the
compost bin. And for those kids beginning to read, the story is written in
rhyme! Although simple, if you remember back when you first started to learn
about composting, answering “what should go in the bin?” was where we all
began!

Compost Stew: an A to Z Recipe for the Earthby Mary Mckenna
Siddals (2010) makes an excellent book that lists items we can compost for each
letter of the alphabet. The reading level is for upper elementary, but the
content is aimed at younger elementary aged children, making it a great read-aloud
story! With this book, you can encourage children to take responsibility for
where they should put their food scraps.

Garbage Helps our
Garden Grow: A Compost Storyby Linda Glaser (2010) follows a group of
children on their composting endeavor. The book explains how composting can
divert organic material from the garbage and make something useful out of it.
This is a great nonfiction text that demonstrates for your child not only what
goes in our compost bin/site, but explains the entire process of how to make
compost and what we can do with it!This
book is intended for upper elementary age students.

As you embark on your summer of composting, get youth
involved! They are our future composters after all!

Did we miss your favorite children’s composting book? Leave
the title and author in the comments. Be on the lookout this fall for a blog
post about great composting books for adults!

Monday, May 7, 2018

Whoop whoop! Hey there, composting peeps! Did you know that
this week is International Compost Awareness Week?

Here are three easy ways to
spread the composting love and celebrate this week.

Give your
own compost a little attention. Now is a great time to turn or aerate those piles to avoid odors and speed up your compost. As you pull all those
spring weeds, toss them in the compost bin or leaf pile to reap the
benefits of all that nitrogen.

Tell your
friends and family about our free composting class this week. On Thursday,
May 10 we will be in Deer Park with a one-hour Get the Dirt on Backyard
Composting. You can share the event on Facebook.

Make sure
everyone knows your deep love of composting by proudly displaying an “I heart
Compost” magnet. If you want to pick one up for free from our office, just
shoot me an email.

Thursday, April 26, 2018

As I was taking the compost out in my winter jacket in
mid-April, I started wondering how this delayed spring has impacted my compost
pile. Spring has definitely been slow to arrive this year as noted by four
measurable snowfalls in April.

As with most of the spring flowers and trees, the composting
process in your pile has been slow to get going. No need to worry though. Warmer
temperatures are arriving and your compost pile will be back on track in no
time.

Wednesday, March 21, 2018

Be a Zen master of your yard. You have the gift to use
nature to reduce non-point source pollution when you choose to backyard
compost. More on that after this commercial break…

It’s time to forward this post to your friends and family
as we are once again holding our yearly compost seminars. Quick! It’ll only
take a minute. Now!J

Okay, back to reducing potential pollution through
composting.

So March 22 happens to be World Water Day. I’m glad water has its own day, Earth Day just has so many
issues already! This year’s theme is ‘Nature
for Water’ – exploring nature-based solutions to the
water challenges we face in the 21st century - this is
where composting comes in.

When you add compost to your yard, you improvethe soil’s ability to absorb and retain water. Compost is light and
fluffy and acts like a sponge, compared to our typical clay-heavy, compacted
soil. When we have downpours, amended soil that is rich in compost has a greater
ability to absorb more of the rain leaving
less run-off going into our storm sewers and streams.

Compost enriched soil has the added benefit of providing
nutrients to our plants and strengthens their root systems so they can grow
deeper. Compost gives you beautiful, healthy
plants with less water and fertilization. Using less fertilizer also reduces the chance
runoff will have chemicals that contribute to non-point source pollution in our
water ways.

Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Are you as ready as I am to jump into spring? Warmer temperatures and more rain will make your compost
pile jump into action – if you follow these tips.

Moisture: Watch the moisture level of your pile. All of the spring
rain can add too much moisture if your pile doesn’thave good drainage. You want your pile to be as wet as a wrung out
sponge. Too much water will cause the pile to go anaerobic (a.k.a. stinky).

Aeration: Once temperatures warm up, aerate your pile. Food scraps
tend to accumulate over the long winter months since the pile is mostly
dormant. When your pile unfreezes all of those food scraps will start to
decompose at once. Aerating will keep that decomposition going and speed
it up.

Additions: Add weeds and plant trimmings to your pile. I always have
some old decorative grasses or sedums from last year to add.

Spring is a fantastic time to start a new compost pile or
maintain your old pile. Pretty soon you will want to harvest that finished
compost to start new beds and for early summer planting. Take advantage of your
ambitious spring gardening attitude to compost everything you can.

Friday, February 9, 2018

Large logs and branches generally do not work well with most
backyard composting. They take years, sometimes decades, to break down and they
fill up a lot of space. But if you find yourself with a bunch of branches or large
logs and want to try something new, I have an idea for you: Hugelkultur.

Hugel-what-tur? Hugelkultur is a method of building a garden
bed using decaying wood. As it decays, the wood supplies nutrients to the soil and
acts as a sponge, soaking up water when available and slowly releasing that
water to your plants. Neato.

This is what you need: wood and other bulky material like
brush and vines, a shovel, and space.

Just dig a one foot deep trench. Place hardwoods,
then softwoods, and then brush into the trench. You can mound even higher with straw, manure, and
more traditional compostables. Cover the whole thing with the soil you removed
to dig the trench.

Hugelkultur originated in Germany and Eastern Europe and means "hill culture" in German. The idea replicates what naturally happens on the forest floor- trees falling, decaying, and building the soil.

Avoid planting on the mound for at least a few months as the
material decomposing on top will steal nitrogen from the surrounding soil at
first and the mound will settle some. Your Hugelkultur mound may take 10 to 20
years for the wood to slowly decompose but that is the idea. This would be a
great addition to a garden with really poor soil or for someone wanting a
raised bed.

Friday, January 26, 2018

Raise your hand if your food scrap collection looks like this in the winter.

January teased us in Cincinnati, oscillating between absolutely frigid to almost balmy weather. I can take scraps out in snow or even cold, but freezing rain or biting winds? Nope. Those banana peels will just have to spend another day or two hanging out in my kitchen.

Although sometimes challenging, composting in winter has its benefits. The freeze and thaw actually breaks down your food scraps. And stockpiling all of those food scraps will mean when the warm weather hits for good in the spring, your pile will kick into high gear.

Tuesday, January 2, 2018

While composting is a powerful action we can
take to reduce food going to the landfill, we would rather see food eaten if
possible. You can be part of the solution.

A recent documentary produced by Anthony Bourdain brings
attention to the problem of wasted food
and the steps toward change. You can see a special screening of “Wasted: The
Story of Food Waste” on January 28, at Memorial Hall in Cincinnati.